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Brazil: The Gentle Giant Awakes
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| Lira |
I must say I was surprised when I found this programme on the BBC:
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In the 21st century, Brazil is starting to become a power in the world. Sue Branford looks at what happens when a developing country achieves political stability and steady economic growth.
How does it manage to make sure that development brings real benefits to as many as possible, and how does it compete with the rest of the world?
Part 1: Social movements
Sue starts off in Redenção, which at the time of her first visit in 1974 was a tiny hamlet of a few dozen houses, immersed in dense tropical forest.
She finds that today it has grown into a bustling town of some 80,000 inhabitants, surrounded by large cattle ranches. Only small fragments of forest remain.
Cattle farming and mining are helping to fuel economic growth. And, along with economic expansion, has come political stability.
Brazil today has a flourishing democracy, a far cry from the military repression of the 1970s.
In 2002 Brazilians elected their first working-class president, the former industrial worker Lula, who is trying gradually to put an end to the country's severe social problems, particularly its poverty and its marked social inequalities.
Social movements, particularly Brazil's one-million-strong landless movement, the Movimento dos Sem-Terra (MST), believe that Lula is moving far too slowly.
Part 2: Foreign Policy
The area where change is most apparent is foreign policy. Turning away from its old introversion, Brazil is fast becoming a world leader and is no longer reluctant to get involved in distant, intractable conflicts.
Brazilian troops are, for example, heading the UN operation in Haiti.
Brazil's influence is even clearer in South America, where the country is emerging as a regional leader.
In Uruguay, Brazil has emerged as the main influence over the new 'Broad Front' government, headed by Tabaré Vasquez.
But Brazil doesn't just wish to have a stronger voice on the world stage. It also wants a more just world in which developing nations get a fairer deal.
This adds up to a coherent and innovative strategy. But is it enough to turn Brazil into a fully developed nation?
Back in the shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro, the inhabitants complain that the government's fine words have not yet meant an end to their unemployment and poverty.
A courageous and innovative foreign policy will not alone, it seems, turn Brazil into a developed and equitable nation. |
Part one [read] [listen]
Part two [read] [listen]
How is Brazil seen abroad? How do the lot of you see it? |
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| NeoPhono |
Honestly, I think that it's a big country that you don't really hear too much from. I do think it has the reputation of being the most modern and progressive of South American countries. Really though, in terms of politics and gloabal affairs, I rarely hear Brazil mentioned. I'm just stating how I percieve Brazil to be portrayed in the 'States.
They have a great football (soccer) team though. I wouldn't mind a vacation down there either, especially if Alessandra Ambrosio decided to tag along. :D |
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| metalgearsolid |
I have no respect for Brazil and the Brazilian people. They are ruining the Amazon forest with sugarcane fields to produce Ethanol. Ethanol is not only 70% of the energy output gasoline has it is also more expensive.
The Brazilian gov is killing life that exists nowhere else except in Brazil.
EDIT: Deleted pic of Adriana Lima b/c neo asked me to refrain. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by metalgearsolid
I have no respect for Brazil and the Brazilian people. They are ruining the Amazon forest with sugarcane fields to produce Ethanol. Ethanol is not only 70% of the energy output gasoline has it is also more expensive. |
You're aware of the fact that sugarcane cannot grow in the Amazon region, aren't you? :p The soil there is not even appropriate, and any sugarcane plantations there would simply die.
If you're going to get mad, do it for the right reasons: the Amazon is being destroyed because of gold, iron, cattle and wood - all caused by poverty, which is something we're dealing with thanks to our history. That's all true, and I'm not the one denying it. Also, the Brazilian government's been taking measures in order to protect the forest (and spending millions), so it would be irresponsible of you to blame it for something it fights against. Besides, we can only protect 60% of the Amazon, as the rest is not ours.
Finally, if you do lose respect for someone just because of the country this person lives in (which is completely meaningless), then your respect isn't worth much, is it?
By the way, where are you from?
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
Honestly, I think that it's a big country that you don't really hear too much from. I do think it has the reputation of being the most modern and progressive of South American countries. Really though, in terms of politics and gloabal affairs, I rarely hear Brazil mentioned. I'm just stating how I percieve Brazil to be portrayed in the 'States. |
That's interesting actually - I feel Brazil is just like India in that sense: unless there's something happening in the Kashmir, you don't hear almost anything from them. (Do you?) |
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| metalgearsolid |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
You're aware of the fact that sugarcane cannot grow in the Amazon region, aren't you? :p The soil there is not even appropriate, and any sugarcane plantations there would simply die.
If you're going to get mad, do it for the right reasons: the Amazon is being destroyed because of gold, iron, cattle and wood - all caused by poverty, which is something we're dealing with thanks to our history. That's all true, and I'm not the one denying it. Also, the Brazilian government's been taking measures in order to protect the forest (and spending millions), so it would be irresponsible of you to blame it for something it fights against. Besides, we can only protect 60% of the Amazon, as the rest is not ours.
Finally, if you do lose respect for someone just because of the country this person lives in (which is completely meaningless), then your respect isn't worth much, is it?
By the way, where are you from? |
Wait, in my chem class we went over this maybe its corn? Well, anyways I was just messing around about hating Brazilians I love em all:p .
I am from Chicago the best city in the Western Hemisphere so what you got to say about Chicago? |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by metalgearsolid
Wait, in my chem class we went over this maybe its corn? Well, anyways I was just messing around about hating Brazilians I love em all:p |
No, corn wouldn't grow in the Amazon either. The soil there is horrible for agriculture (which should be a good thing :p).
However, we do get Ethanol out of sugarcane (you got that bit right), and that's been a great help here.
| quote: | Originally posted by metalgearsolid
I am from Chicago the best city in the Western Hemisphere so what you got to say about Chicago? |
You guys steal all our bloody wind!!!
And you guys have Punky Brewster and house music - you guys are to blame for half of the things I liked in my childhood :D
edit: Who the hell let Punky Brewster have breast reduction surgery? That should be outlawed! |
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| donnybrasco |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
How is Brazil seen abroad? How do the lot of you see it? |
Topless Hotties. :D |
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
To be honest there's not much news on Brazil around, and in a way that is a good thing. When a country gets itself stabilized and starts to make steady progress there's not much to report about, except an occasional article like that. Japan, for example, gets hardly any news coverage at all, and it's one of the most advanced countries out there. Anyway, considering the size and progress of Brazil, I'm guessing you guys are soon gonna be one of the bigger players in the global scene.
Anyways, Lira, nice to see you started visiting this subforum again. |
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| NeoPhono |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
That's interesting actually - I feel Brazil is just like India in that sense: unless there's something happening in the Kashmir, you don't hear almost anything from them. (Do you?) |
Nope, I agree. You really don't hear anything about Brazil unless something big is happening. All the surrounding nut-job countries of South America tend to steal the spotlight.
As said before though, I don't see that as a bad thing. I wish the US were in the news a hell of a lot less. |
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| metalgearsolid |
Lira what is the population growth? And don't you guys have a socialist leader but less extreme compared to Bolivia and Venezuela? I have also heard that Brazil was going to lose money because of Bolivia nationalizing their resources. Anyways I always hear about how AIDS is a huge problem in Brazil and not due to drugs but due to sex. Seems like you guys hump eachother like rabbits.
Anyways I feel that if the population is growing as it might be than the newer generation will accomplish great things for Brazil as long as they are educated enough to hold serious jobs in the international market, but if not than you will have serious crime trouble. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by metalgearsolid
Lira what is the population growth? And don't you guys have a socialist leader but less extreme compared to Bolivia and Venezuela? I have also heard that Brazil was going to lose money because of Bolivia nationalizing their resources. Anyways I always hear about how AIDS is a huge problem in Brazil and not due to drugs but due to sex. Seems like you guys hump eachother like rabbits.
Anyways I feel that if the population is growing as it might be than the newer generation will accomplish great things for Brazil as long as they are educated enough to hold serious jobs in the international market, but if not than you will have serious crime trouble. |
Kay, one answer at a time:
- Population growth: 1.04% [source]
- Socialist leader: Although he is a left-wing leader, there's something I once heard that makes sense in this context. More often than not, moderate left-wing leaders might actually behave as if they were right-wing, the reason being the need of stability in order to keep the country running. Therefore, even though this is a left-wing government, I don't feel that much of a difference compared to the previous one (which was a moderate right-wing one).
- Bolivia: This could be related to the previous answer. During the first couple of days when Morales seemed to have lost it, Bolivia sounded tough and there was a thread discussing its attitudes and the possible consequences [here]. However, Bolivia seems to have realised that it was a really stupid stance against a partner, and now seems to be taking it easy.
Nevertheless, we did lose some money there, and the industry is now cautious on investing in Bolivia. However, Bolivia sure lost a lot more than we did, and this shouldn't bring us more problems in the long run.
- AIDS: Although this is still a problem, Brazil is doing a fine job tackling AIDS, and has drawn some attention worldwide because of the impressive results. The levels aren't that high, and the government has been distributing free HIV medicine for a while (there was an international commotion because of a problem with patents related to this). Among the BRIC countries, we're the ones with the lowest number of infected people (which makes sense, as we have the second smallest population :D).
In fact, Brazil is not that much of a lustful country - there was this thread about this issue a while back.
- Education: That's a concern of mine as well, and there's a myth that this is one of the reasons why South Korea came out of a military dictatorship in a better situation than we did.
| quote: | Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0
Anyways, Lira, nice to see you started visiting this subforum again. |
It's nice to be part of it once again :)
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
All the surrounding nut-job countries of South America tend to steal the spotlight. |
Tell us about it :toothless
Reminds me of a Cuban friend of mine who fled to Venezuela and then had to flee to Brazil :D |
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
Say, does BRIC have any real-life organization, or is it just a term to lump the 4 countries together? |
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